I just heard Moira Smiley at the Freight & Salvage Fiddle Summit in Berkeley, CA. (It was Thursday night 8/27/2015.) I purchased her CD called "RUA" (or "rua"). One of the songs there is called "A Man Was Born". I cannot figure out the lyrics, and I am curious.

One of the lines appears to be:

"Oh mercy where does such a man come from that kills a daughter or a son?"

I don't think I want to sing it, it sounds pretty grim, I just want to know what it says. I didn't find it on You Tube anywhere. Apparently she sells the lyrics but I don't want to pay for it again.

If I was wanting to know the lyrics, I'd contact Moira directly. She's a lovely person and knowing you already have bought her cd she may well send you the lyrics. Here's her Contacts page: http://moirasmiley.com/store/?page_id=1631

Off of her album, Rua. Transcribed by ear. The whole song is available on Spotify, and an audio clip and sheet music is available here: http://moirasmiley.com/store/?download=a-man-was-born Written in 1995 by Moira Smiley. Not included were the first 30 seconds of various "ooh" and "oh" noises, as with the last minute of the song.

A MAN WAS BORN (Moira Smiley)

A man was born into his mother's womb He was a little boy and then a man too soon His mother wept, his father shook his head He'd shot a man and then that man had shot him dead

Oh, mercy, where does such a man come from That kills a daughter or a son He comes within the man who has been cut away Away from mother's arms of love

One woman was born into her mother's womb She was a little girl and then a woman too soon Her mother wept, her father shook his head She'd never hurt a man and then that man had shot her dead

Oh, mercy where does such a man come from That kills a daughter or a son He comes within the man who has been cut away Away from mother's arms of love